Being a mom is a rewarding job but it can have a way of using up all of your energy quickly. Errands, sleepless nights, extracurricular activities, school projects, laundry, and carpool are just some of the things that may fall on the endless to-do list for a mom. By the end of the day, feeling depleted of energy is common for many moms. It’s a good idea for moms to know what to do when they need to recharge. While everyone will find that different things give them that added boost to get through the day, here are some ideas to get you started.

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Exercise

It may seem that adding exercise to your daily routine would use up more energy, but the truth is exercise can actually give you more energy. As your body moves, your heart pumps more blood which delivers more oxygen to your muscles. “As your aerobic fitness increases, your body becomes more adept at moving oxygen into the blood, which makes your muscles more efficient - and more efficiency equals less energy usage.” (www.livestrong.com) On the other side of things, obesity has been linked to fatigue and low energy levels.

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Eat healthier

It’s no surprise that eating a healthy, well balanced diet gives you more energy to get through the day. I am sure we have all made a choice to eat fast food or a piece of cake that tastes good in the moment but left us feeling sick and sluggish later. “Different kinds of foods are converted to energy at different rates. Candy and simple sugars can give a quick lift, while others - such as whole grains and unsaturated fats supply the reserves you’ll need to draw on throughout the day.” While the occasional treat is fine, it’s best to choose healthy choices to give you the most energy and keep you feeling your best. (www.health.harvard.edu)

Spend time with friends

A quick (and enjoyable) way to recharge your batteries is to spend time with friends. Set aside the worries that go along with parenting for a few hours and talk and laugh with friends. If it’s hard to get out of the house for dinner, schedule a coffee date while the kids are at school or a play date that allows the moms to chat while the kids play happily. Another great way to make sure you get a night out is to schedule a monthly dinner, book club, or game night with friends. The effort of trying to figure out schedules will be eliminated and it is more likely to happen if it is on everyone’s calendar each month.

Get a good night’s sleep

For some moms this is easier said than done. You may have a child that still wakes at night, be tempted to stay up late or rise early to work on your long list of to-do’s, if you are like me, you find yourself enjoying a moment of quiet so much that you stay up late watching TV or reading a book and miss out on time you could be catching up on rest. We all know that a full night of sleep is going to give you more energy the next day. Listen to your body, if you need to go to bed early or take a nap in the afternoon, allow yourself that break so you are rested. The to-do list will be waiting for you tomorrow.